Certainly These
Jonathan Levine‘s 50/50 and Jeff Nichols‘ Take Shelter are far and away the best new films to see this weekend.
But please understand that 50/50 is not a comedy, despite what Lou Lumenick and others are saying.
I explained it thusly earlier this month: “All mature art is mixture of drama and comedy. Any film that insists on being a drama-drama or a comedy-comedy doesn’t get this. Life is always a mixture of the two, and so naturally 50/50 is flecked or flavored with guy and gallows humor here and there plus one or two anxious-mom jokes and/or chemo jokes and/or jokes about being in denial, etc. The most you could say is that it’s amusingly jaunty at times. It’s good humored and good natured when the material calls for that…when it feels right and true.
“And any critic who knows quality-level filmmaking when he/she sees it is going to recognize that humor is definitely a part of the package, definitely an element.”
I think people can relate to the cancer angle, because they know of someone who has had cancer. The trailer looks like it will be good, maybe some humor in there. People see Seth Rogen and they think funny, but not so in this case.
I would classify 50/50 as a funny drama. There is a good deal of humor in it but it’s not the main focus of the film. It’s very moving, and I think people will really respond to it. Rogen is very funny but also gives a fully rounded performance with a lot of heart. JG-L is tremendous. It’s a lovely, funny, sad and sweet without being sappy film that, for me, is one of the year’s highlights so far.
In the “A Little Late” dept, Lionsgate is making a last ditch effort to save WARRIOR by resorting to a Groupon this weekend.
But 3 weeks into a release is a little late to pump up word of mouth. It worked with THE LINCOLN LAWYER because it was the opening weekend.
Still, it’s a pretty good deal, $10 for 2 tickets even if you book it online. Not for me – too many better films keep coming out even at that price.
For those interested:
http://www.groupon.com/deals/lionsgate-entertainment-los-angeles-ca?c=dnb&p=7
Ah, but Rex Reed’s hilariously tone-deaf pan is something to behold:
http://www.observer.com/2011/09/5050-is-a-cancer-comedy-of-errors/
Why the NY Observer continues to employ the pathetic Rex Reed is a mystery. He went into 8 Mile hating the very idea of a movie with Eminem and so naturally his “review” was nothing but a snark fest. Of course the dimwitted Manohla Dargis didn’t like 50/50 either, but at least you can take her review seriously. Reed should only be allowed to review Harvey Weinstein Oscar bait crap and maybe the occasional musical. If you want serious film criticism from the Observer, you should just read Andrew Sarris. If you’re curious how to shoplift a Judy Garland CD, then Reed is your guy.
No dig at you, Mike, but it’s hilarious that anyone still pays Reed to share his prissy meringue-like views on film.
I was watching the first half of SUPERMAN on Netflix (which is a diabolical time waster for cineastes) and when Reed’s cameo came on I had an amused chuckle realizing that maybe 1% of viewers under 40 would recognize him even with Kidder calling him “Rex.”
Speaking of movies opening this weekend, it seems inconceivable that a movie directed by Jim Sheridan and starring Daniel Craig, Rachel Weisz, and Naomi Watts could be so awful that it would not be screened for critics before it opens. But that is apparently the case with Dream House, because I can’t find a single review anywhere.
Ironically, you can however find dozens of stories about the lack of reviews for a movie directed by Jim Sheridan and starring Daniel Craig, Rachel Weisz, and Naomi Watts…
I feel like I’m down on every film nowadays, but it’ll balance out. Nonetheless, I couldn’t get over the sexism in 50/50.
Yeah so what exactly happened with Dream House? On paper, it would seem to have a classy pedigree, but clearly something went very wrong, and now the Fiddy Cent movie no longer appears to be the worst thing on Sheridan’s resume. One possible hint – the screenwriter’s last credit was a 2002 DTV thing with Gina Gershon and Michael Biehn, and prior to that, the 1996 Whoopi basketball comedy Eddie.
Jeff, have you seen MARGARET, or have any plans to? It’s only playing in one theater (the Sunshine), and I’m guessing it’s only going to last a week or two. It’s definitely flawed, but still worth your time (two and a half hours).
I would love to see either of these films, but I have to choose between seeing a movie this week and next week. So I’ll save my admission for ‘Ides of March’.
Yeah, uh MARGARET? HELLO? I would take that film over both Take Shelter and 50/50, and I liked those.
If anyone can find a film production exec with greenlight authority, funding AND the ability to understand what Jeff just wrote, please send me their number.
Speaking as a single 30 something guy in LA who works in entertainment, I didn’t find 50/50 remotely sexist. Kendrick is warm, likable and intelligent. Tons of women and men in the friend or girlfriend zone are exactly like Dallas Howard when the going gets rough, especially if they are wannabe artists and therefore slightly predisposed to be self involved. Huston seems to be dealing with having a memory free child like husband on top of a 27 yr old son in a very appropriate way, especially for a child who isn’t married. While she was slightly overbearing and emotional, she was also very caring and kind and generally concerned about her son. Rogan is portrayed basically as a very flawed, horny but loyal dog. We don’t really see any other prominent male characters other than Levitt who definitely has a couple dickish moments.
Finally the story is a male POV story and men tend to be better friends to men than women are to men, not always but on average.
off topic-speaking of great movies dvdbeaver has a review of the Tree of Life blu ray in which they describe the presentation as “quite perfect”
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film3/blu-ray_reviews54/the_tree_of_life_blu-ray.htm
“Speaking as a single 30 something guy in LA who works in entertainment….”
Absolutely hysterical that this phrase is presented as if it’s a bona fide on *not* being sexist, or even recognizing such…
…or it may just be that I prefer an honest qualifier as someone with a slightly similar background professionally as the film’s writer. The film was no more sexist than 95 percent of tv/films I watch where supporting male characters aren’t depicted with the same nuance as female protagonists.
off topic-speaking of great movies dvdbeaver has a review of the Tree of Life blu ray in which they describe the presentation as “quite perfect”
yeah but who cares, that movie had no comedy and wasn’t mature art worthy of my attention
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I would love to see both films !
I found out that blur that insists on getting a drama-drama or a comedy-comedy doesn’t get this just like that. It has to provide all sorts of emotion.
Men in the acquaintance or adherent area are absolutely like Dallas Howard if the traveling gets rough, abnormally if they are wannabe artists and accordingly hardly agreeable to be cocky involved.Car lease is a good option to spice up the travel plans
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